Inevitable Endings
by Hedwidgeon
Summary: The Doctor needs to learn to accept the endings he hates so much, but his unthinking hearts refuse to do so. Basically, he can't ever be okay with endings, just like the rest of us. (This is my first try at writing fan fiction. I hope it doesn't disappoint you!)
1. Chapter 1

Deep in a pale frosty wood, there was a sudden noise - a strange cross between the sound of a huffing engine and a whistle blowing, rather like a breathing dragon. A unicorn watched as a strange blue box appeared out of nowhere. Startled, the unicorn galloped away into the darkness.

The Doctor stepped out of the blue box, annoyed with his TARDIS for bringing him to an unfamiliar place without any indication or reason for doing so. He was on his way to meet River at the star cluster of Verona to watch a supernova. Good thing he wouldn't be late, he thought, smiling to himself.

The TARDIS was fuming now and had shut down abruptly, as though she didn't want him to enter. He knew she'd come around eventually. She always did.

Bored, he began to absorb his surroundings. He always loved new things, unusual undiscovered places, and beings never seen before… but he had an odd sort of feeling about this place. Something wasn't quite right. He shuddered and looked around, more carefully this time. It was definitely Earth, he could tell. However, the trees around him were housing peculiar creatures, or so it seemed. The thought of something watching him gave him the shivers. Feelings of uncertainty and curiosity flooded his mind. Then he heard the unmistakable sound of trotting hooves.

The Doctor walked towards the source of the sound. Unexpectedly, he tripped over what he thought was an overgrown root. Irritated now, he looked down to see the blasted piece of wood and saw nothing, nothing that could have caused him to trip. He checked the soil he stood on. It tasted funny. He dug around, confident that he would find something new. And he did.

It was a simple black stone, appearing perfectly normal until you cautiously examined it. It was octahedral, amazingly smooth and symmetrical beyond imagination. Curious, the Doctor scrutinized it. Then he heard a chilling, distant voice. A voice from the past, or so it seemed. He suddenly got the feeling that he should drop the stone and walk away. He chose to do precisely the opposite. Somehow, he knew what he had to do. He turned it in his hand. Once, twice, thrice.


	2. Chapter 2

River Song waited for the Doctor near a star cluster far, far away. She was now growing impatient. The Doctor had promised her a supernova and hadn't turned up yet. He was probably trying out all sorts of bow ties, she thought. She smiled to herself. The only time he worried about how he looked was when he had to meet her, and River adored that.

River was just like her mother, strong and independent. She only allowed herself to let go of that independence when she was with her husband. It was the same with the Doctor. In so many ways, River and the Doctor complimented each other perfectly. They both would readily die to save the other, yet couldn't stay together: such was their complex relationship. The two psychopathic Time Travellers.

River thought about the time she had refused to travel with him. She would have loved to do that, sure, but staying together for that long would eradicate the mystery from their relationship. Also, she couldn't bear to let him see her age. He would be hurt. He didn't like endings, after all. When one was married to the Doctor, hiding the damage done by time was crucial. And so she waited for a very long time. That was one of the disadvantages of being a Time Traveller: Time seemed to move far too slowly when you weren't travelling through the Vortex.

River was now anxious. She could see the star beginning to die and the Doctor still hadn't turned up. The star died with a spectacular release of energy. It's funny how things are most beautiful when they're about to stop existing, River thought. She sighed and went back to her parents' house on Earth in the year 2011. She had it all to herself ever since that fateful day in Manhattan. She had met her parents once after that, but didn't go again because the fact that she could still see them and he couldn't upset the Doctor.

River wondered why he hadn't shown up. He always did. In all that time together, not once had le left her waiting like that. She was now worried. There was only one reason for his absence. Something had happened to him; something bad, most likely.

She decided to find out. He had to with his TARDIS. If she could track her down, she could find the Doctor. If he wasn't, it would mean that he was in major trouble. River pushed that thought to the back of her mind. Of course he was with the TARDIS.


End file.
